The Path Which Leads Home
by Omniskriba
Summary: Deep-seated feelings of Envy finally get's the best of Jyou. Can Mimi talk him out of his deppression before it's too late? (My first fic ever! Written sometime last year when I was going through a similar angst-trip).


~*~  
The Path which leads Home- A Jyoumi Fanfic.  
~*~  
By Kyoko_Jyou  
~*~  
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon (Toei does, am I correct?) , but I hope I would someday, the same way I shall wrestle control for Microsoft, Fox, and Ferrero Rocher Chocolates International. Well, until then, I'll just be writing fanfics then, although if I did own Digimon, I would'nt want to change a thing...  
This Jyoumi Fanfic takes place just about 7 years after that fateful summer at camp when they first entered the Digiworld. The gang's been split up all over the place since the Forces of Darkness rarely showed up anymore. As for their private lives, they've each had a fair share of missing each other. Oh, there were many memories to hold on to, but these alone cannot keep them from going on with their lives.  
As you would have already guessed, Tai and Sora has been steady for several months now. Matt's still in his band, but things has'nt been too hot for him. Izzy's in MIT, studying under some kind of scholarship. About T.K. and Kari, they've been dating for some time now and it is'nt long before those to go steady. As for Mimi, she was last seen coming back from New York to live with her aunts while her parents work in the States. And Joe, he's in Med School; which, by now, would be totally predictable.  
It has been 3 years since they've had any contact with each other. Three whole years. Although Sora and Mimi had been keeping in touch through E-mail and Izzy's been sending everybody stuff from MIT, they all still missed each other's company. After going through so much, you would expect them to be.  
Well, loneliness does seek company...  
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Chapter One: The Bond between Friends.  
~*~  
7:42 PM April 7. Kamiya Residence.  
"Tai, there's a message for you in the computer!" Sora sat beside the Kamiya Computer, drinking cofee while playing a game of solitaire. Tai laid down on the couch, his hair looking more like a pillow.  
"Hey, who's it from."  
"Probably Mimi."  
"Yeah. You always get mail. It's like, they think it's your computer!"  
"Should I open it now?"  
Tai nods and Sora clicks the E-mail open.   
"Who's it from?"  
"It's from Izzy."  
"What's it say?"  
"Uh..." Sora looked through the text and read along the lines. "Hey Tai..."  
"Hmm?"  
"Guess what?"  
"What?"  
"Izzy's coming back!"  
Tai quickly stood up "For good?"  
"Nope. He's just visiting. I wonder how he looks like now."  
"He's probably still the same ol' Izzy."  
"What do you mean by that?"  
"Y'know, our smart, know-it-all, runty friend Izzy."  
"Hey, that's not very nice, considering Izzy has been a very close friend."  
"Yeah, I know. But, c'mon, we would'nt have the guy any other way. He's like that before and that's the good ol' Izzy we know and love."  
"You're certainly not the same ol' Tai."  
"Huh?"  
"Well, you have grown. I mean, you're now as big as an ox."  
"Hey!"  
"That was a compliment, Tai. Geez, you've been quite edgy today."  
"Well, you're sure not the same Sora I've been with seven years ago..."  
"Why?"  
"You did'nt like me back then..."  
"Who said I liked you now?" (Hey, if this is beginning to sound like a Taiora, well it's certainly not. I start all my stories this way... the main characters show up later.)  
"Sora?"  
"What is it?"  
"What do you think everyone's doing right now?"  
"I don't know, Tai. I just don't know..." Sora yawns.  
"So, do we meet Izzy at the airport?"  
"Sure...*Yawn* but let's get some sleep first, okay?"  
"Sure..."  
Meanwhile...  
10:12 PM, April 7. Odaiba Medical Studies Center, Computer Resources Room.  
"Damn this stupid COMPUTER..." Joe cries in the middle of the night by the gleam of his computer. "If I could only pay for you, I would have thrown you out of this room hours ago!"  
Joe has been slaving all night to get his thesis working, yet he would find something wrong with it every few paragraphs along the way and that would be followed by a long sermon of cursing and swearing and strangling at the monitor (who would have thought?). Suddenly...  
"Hey, what the..." He looked at the monitor and out popped...  
"Dear Joe,  
I just wanted to tell you that I'm coming back from the States. I wanted to have a reunion sort of party. I've missed you all so much. So, can you meet me at the airport tomorrow, say 3:30 PM. And Joe, can you call up Matt and T.K., since they don't have E-mail Addresses. So can 'ya? Thanks.  
-Izzy"  
"Izzy? Coming back? Tomorrow? I can't believe it! Wait till Matt and T.K. hears about this."  
As if driven by something other than phobia, allergy, or cowardice, he took to the nearest payphone. He dialed with his fingers burning across the keypad and yanked the phone off the machine.  
"Hello..."  
"Hey Matt, guess what?"  
"Who is this?"  
"This is Joe, Matt..."  
"Joe? Is that really you?"  
"Yeah, it's me, Matt!"  
"I did'nt recoognize your voice. You sounded like my dad... hey how'd you do that?"  
"I did'nt call you to do voice impressions of your father!"  
"Oh... so why'd you call then?"  
"It's Izzy!"  
"You're gonna impersonate Izzy's voice, too?"  
"No!" Joe was exasperating on the mouthpiece. "Izzy... he's coming back!"  
"Back? When?"  
"Tomorrow afternoon. I think he's already told the others. Were gonna meet him on the airport. So, are you up to it?"  
"Sure I am! Izzy...now that's a guy I have'nt seen for a long time."  
"Well, I have'nt seen you for a long time, too..."  
"Oh yeah. So this will be one of those reunion thingies, right."  
"Yup. We have a lot of catching up to do."  
"Hey Joe..."  
"What?"  
"I'm surprised you still have time to go. Are'nt you studying?"  
Joe remembered his thesis. His body began to melt into the wall as he slumped down.  
"Yeah, I'll go... but I'm still studying there."  
"Now prob. Your still Joe, right. No one's gonna expect anything less!"  
"Really?" Joe replied in an annoyed voice.  
"Chill, Joe. Stop worrying about studying and have some fun for a change. I'll tell T.K. tomorrow. So, tomorrow?"  
"Sure..."  
"See 'ya."  
"Bye."  
Joe slumped down. He had a lot of things to do that night. His books piled beside the computer. He pinched his glasses on the bridge and returned them into his eyes. He combed his hair with his fingers while trying to dry his forehead from sweat.  
"This is going to be a very long night..."  
Joe sat down on his chair and tapped on the keys all night.  
Meanwhile...  
11:15 PM April 7. Tachikawa Residence.  
"Mimi, what's this on your mailbox?" Mimi's aunt was writing a letter when the "you've got mail" sound buzzed on the monitor.  
"Who's it from?"  
"It's from a Koushiro Izumi. Hey, are you going out with somebody without us knowing?"  
"No... Izzy's a good friend of mine, and he's on the other side of the planet for goodness sakes. Hey, what's it say?"  
"It say's he'll be coming back to Odaiba tomorrow afternoon at around 3:30. He want's you to meet all your old friends at the airport."  
"Hey, I have'nt seen those guys for years! Wonder what they're up to."  
"Well, this would be the perfect time to catch up on old gossip, would'nt it not?"  
"Yeah!" Mimi smiled. "Yeah, it would..."  
Mimi went to bed that night absolutely thrilled of going to the airport tomorrow. Sora would be there. Matt will be there. Tai, T.K., Izzy... they'll all be there. Yup they'll all be there alright... including... Joe...  
End of Chapter One. Hmmm. So many characters. Putting this all together will be toughie, but when it's done, everything will be clear, I promise. This is a Jyoumi. Even if there is only one hint of that as of now, the next chapters will more than justify it's purpose.  
~*~  
Chapter Two: The Way Things Were  
~*~  
That was fast, huh? I could'nt wait to finish this thing up. I hope you liked C-1 even if it had little of the Mimou I promised. Anyway, this is still Kyoko_Jyou, continuing "The Path which leads Home- A Mimou Fanfic". I hope you like it!  
Whre was I? Oh yeah. Izzy was coming back from MIT after three years of over-seas studies. He's sent the gang E-mails to have then pick him up in the Odaiba International Airport at noon. Each excited of Izzy's return, they all go separate ways to welcome their friend, planning to meet each other on the "Arrivals" area. Those who were left in Japan had'nt seen each other for a while so this was much of a reunion for them. They have'nt even seen most of each other for years. The story unfolds...  
Trans Pacific Airlines Flight 3421 bound for Odaiba, Japan. April 8, 3:15 PM  
"I wonder what those guys have been up to?" Izzy thought to himself, sitting on the cramped economy-class airplane seat. He looked down from the window, surveying the landscape of Odaiba. It's mountainous outskirts. It's urban downtown. It's...  
"This flight is being taxied for landing. Please fasten your seatbelts and restore your seats to it's upright and locked position." An announcement squaked overhead.  
Izzy pulled the lever beside him and the seat sprung upright. He fastened his seatbelts with some difficulty. He tried to wiggle his feet, which felt numb, but could'nt 'cause he was cramped too tight.  
"I don't remember my last airplane being this cramped."  
Izzy breathed heavily. It was his fourth hour that he hadn't had a chance to use that laptop of his. He used it last on a stop-over in Hawaii where he E-mailed the others. He found himself spending the last few minutes of his trip fiddling with the knobs of the in-flight music. Whenever he turned around towards the window, he looked to see anything familiar on the landscape. Highton View Terrace, the Bridge, that building with the big round thing Devimon attacked was rebuilt. Yup, there's no place like home, alright.  
The airplane slid through the runway. It was a particularly gray and rainy afternoon so no sun and blue skies in this story. Izzy could hear the little pitter-patter of raindrops from his window. In a few minutes, the plane has landed and Izzy found himself trying to get all of his stuff out of the luggage compartment. He tried to squeeze into the crowd like he did all the time, although he could barely do so now.  
"Welcome to Odaiba International Airport" Another announcement was made. "Thank you for flying Trans Pacific Airways. May we have the pleasure of having you with us on your next flight. And remember: all flights from the United States to Japan entitle our passengers to twice the frequent flyer miles, which means the more you travel, the more you save. Please exit to the left hand corner of the plane and please exit in single file."  
The people rushed out the plane and Izzy was lost in the crowd. As if being smothered, Izzy was a pale blue in color when he finally got to the "Arrivals" area.  
Odaiba International Airport April 8. 3:30 PM.  
"I wonder if they're already here"...  
Izzy walked around, but still no sign of anybody...until...  
"Hey, I'd know that hair anywhere" Izzy exclaimed, eyeing a brown hedge of hair sticking from the crowd. He ran towards the hair, carrying his luggage, waving towards it.  
"Hey, you with the big hair!"  
The owner of the enormous spikes gave him a funny look.  
"Err...sorry mister, but I thought you were this friend of mine..."  
Then, the guy tapped the shoulders of two girls which was beside him. Then all three started to look at him in a seemingly oblivious manner...  
"Izzy, is that you?" The taller of the two girls asked.  
"How'd you... Hey, wait a minute...Tai, Sora, Kari?"  
"Hey, it is Izzy!" The guy exclaimed!  
"I'm sorry...I didn't even recoognized you guys!"  
"Well, we did'nt too, but when someone actually had the guts to comment about my brother's humungous hair, we knew it would be you!" Kari said.  
"Yeah, I was'nt sure who yelled about my hair. I thought it was in some kind of immigrations violation or something."  
"It's so good to see you again!" They group-hugged (sure they did. It's not like it does'nt happen in airports). Izzy had tears in his eyes. "You've all grown so much, I did'nt even recoognize any of you..."  
"Hey, speak for yourself...have you grown...taller?" Tai spoke, looking at Izzy at different angles. "The last time I saw you, you barely got up to my shoulders...and now..."  
Izzy smiled, putting one arm behind the back of his neck.  
"I think taller is an understatement, Tai." Kari commented.  
"Yeah! Now, we have two Oxen in our team!" Sora laughed out. Kari followed. Tai took Izzy by the shoulders and turned their backs on the two.  
"They're sure getting along" Izzy whispered.  
"Yeah, I know. Maybe they should be the ones that should date."  
"Hey, by the sound of that, does that mean that you and Sora are..."  
Before Izzy could finish that sentence, two guys and a girl came from the crowd.  
"Hey Tai!" The taller guy yelled. "Who's that with you? Don't tell me, you've dumped Sora for him!"  
Tai started to sweatdrop. Izzy could recoognize that sense of humor anywhere. "Matt! Is that you?"  
"Huh?"  
"It's me Matt, Izzy!"  
"Izzy!"  
The trio ran towards him. Along with Matt came T.K. and Mimi whom they picked up from the front entrance.  
"Izzy, whoa... is that you in there?" T.K. said, eye-balling the big guy with the orange shirt up and down. "Cool! Did you make some kind of growth formula or something? Wow! How'd you get so big?"  
"Hey cut it out. I'm still Izzy... although it has gotten harder to fit into the seats of the airplane."  
Mimi jumped onto Izzy's back and hugged him by the neck, suspending her a good few inches off the ground. "Izzy, m'boy. I never thought I could ever do this to you, but...here we are."  
Mimi jumped back onto the floor. Matt pats Izzy on the back and they started to talk in unison about what they thought about each other and what they were up to and everything.  
Izzy then noticed something...  
"Hey, isn't Joe gonna be here?"  
Everybody looked blankly while trying to look around for Joe. No Joe.  
"But I E-mailed him too, and if Matt and T.K. are here, then that means he told you, right?"  
Matt nodded.  
"I wonder if he did'nt come because he had to study, or something." T.K. suggested. They all looked at each other.  
"No, I don't think he's that cold. I mean, does'nt he want to see Izzy again... or us for that matter?" Mimi snapped back.  
So, while waiting for Joe, the team took the time to take Izzy's bags from the luggage carousels. They hauled several trunks and boxes onto those push-cart things you use in airports.  
"Izzy" T.K. muttered, "Are we pulling this cart all the way home?"  
Izzy suddenly froze. None of them had transport. None of them even has a license. Izzy spent his last dollar on airplane tickets and all he has is a couple of Yen- not even enough to pay for a taxi.  
On the exit, Izzy asked everyone "Does anybody have any money for a taxi?"  
Everybody looked puzzled. "Are'nt your parents going to pick you up?" Mimi asked.  
"No, they're not. I wanted to surprise them..."  
"Now... HOW THE HECK DO WE GET HOME WITH ALL THIS STUFF!!!" Mimi exclaimed. She took a hanky and tried to wipe her sweat dry. It was raining and Izzy's home was on the other side of the city, so walking was no option. Mimi was just stepping into the curb to hitch a ride when she saw someone familiar... with a car!  
"Hey guys! Look!" They all looked to where Mimi was pointing.  
They saw a gray Mini Van with it's driver sleeping with a pile of textbooks in his face. The only hint of the driver's identity was a pair of horn-rim glasses behind the wind-shield and a couple of spikes of blue hair sticking from the books.  
Without a word, they ran towards the parked car and everyone started knocking on the sides.  
"Wake-up!" They all yelled. The car rocked back and forth until, suddenly, the car's burglar alarm went off.  
"What's going on? Where am I? Who goes there?" The man on the car asked exasperatingly. The books flew all over inside the car. When the ruckus was over...  
"Hey, who are you kids? And what have you done with my car?"  
So it was'nt Joe. Or it did'nt look much like him.  
Tai, being the leader that he is, stepped up and tried to explain. "Well you see, sir, we thought you were a friend of ours and we needed the ride badly, so we thought..."  
Tai was doing an awful lot of head-scratching as he sweatdropped along the conversation. Tai was trying to be as formal as possible, for the man in the car looked like a no-nonsense guy if there ever was one.  
"So you see, sir, we did'nt mean to disturb you, so if you would just forget we were here, we might just leave you in peace and we'll go away now..."  
The man in the car started to snicker...slowly...then a light giggling...until "Bwaaahahahaha!!!"  
The entire group stared blankly at the man. They just stood there as the man laughed himself out.  
"Tai...Tai...hahaha..."  
Tai was puzzled. How did he know his name?  
"That...is the lamest excuse...for an excuse... I've ever heard!"  
The man took his glasses and wore it up. Still laughing, he tried to keep composure, altough in vain.  
"Hey, I've heard that voice before..." Matt mumbled.  
"Hey, how'd you know my name?"  
"It's me Tai!"  
"It's you who?"  
"It's me! Joe!"  
"JOE!?" The group were surprised in unison. They just stood there, in the rain, staring at that guy in the glasses inside the car.  
"Joe, what are you doing in a car?" Sora asked, still puzzled and confused.  
"I drive. I have a license. It's like I'm not 19."  
"Oh yeah. So are you letting us in or not?"  
"Sure hop on in. I wanted to go to the Arrivals area, but I was stuck on a page. I guess I dozed off."  
"Quit yapping and open the doors already!" Mimi was peeved.  
Joe pressed a button and all the doors unlocked. They all raced in, all at once.  
"Hey, don't push. I'm still paying for this van on installment."  
When they have all gotten in, carrying the bags on their laps, Joe started the car and off they went. The road was all fogged up and the rain was getting worse... yet the warmth of friendship was more than enough to make the trip cozy and relaxing.  
End of Chapter Two. I guess, there's even less of a Jyoumi in this one, but just wait. The story is still building up steam and the best is yet to come. A quick recap. Mimi had weird feelings about seeing Joe again so she tried to compensate for those feelings by socializing with Matt and hugging Izzy. But is that enough to make Mimi forget about Joe's crush on her? (remember the movie's short shot of Mimi's front door and Joe's chocolates?) Answers to be revealed on the next chapter.  
~*~  
Chapter Three- Why Things Were'nt.  
~*~  
It's me again, good ol' Kyoko_Jyou. This is the third installment of the "Path which leads Home" fanfic. Oh, time does fly when your writing a Jyoumi. Any way, this chapter continues where we last left off: the part where all of them were in a car and driving to Izzy's house. They've all had a fair share of surprises when they saw each other. Everyone was so different now. So, in continuation, this is Part Three...  
Corner of 23rd and Main Street, April 8. 4:45 PM  
"So, Joe, when did you get this Mini Van?" Izzy asked, his legs again cramped in the back seat of the car.  
"Well, I bought it with what little savings I got a few weeks ago. And as I told you, it's still under installment."  
There was a brief silence. The rain tapped on the glass window as the van raced across the wet road. Each of them had been soaked considerably, since they were in the rain the time they tried to break into Joe's "wheels".  
"I can't believe were all together in the same place again." Tai said in a heavy breath. He was in the front seat with Sora. Everybody nodded.  
"So, are we going straight to your house, Izzy?" Joe asked.  
"Hey, we still have a lot of catching up to do. Why don't we go for a a drink first?"  
"I thought you did'nt have any money?" Kari said flatly.  
"Err... then we might as well just have that drink at my place... Oh yeah, I bought some great booze back in Hawaii."  
The team sitting on the back seats high-five. They were pretty much talking amongst themselves until they got to Izzy's house.  
Izumi Residence. April 8. 5:25 PM.  
Izzy's step parents were so excited when they saw him again. They did not think twice to let the gang stay there and have their little party. They left for a while and promised to come back in a few hours to buy some food.   
"So Izzy, how's MIT?" T.K. asked while pouring himself a glass.  
"It was actually pretty good. There were lots of people asking me how it was like to go into the Digital World and how everything worked and stuff."  
"Don't tell us you told them everything?"  
"Not really. All I did was show them how the Digital World works and we did these cool experiments. I never felt so special in my life."  
Everybody listened to Izzy's stories, especially Joe. Joe never had people look up to him or pat him in the back with a well done or anything. It was always "Joe the Coward" or "Joe the Nerd" or "Joe the Sissy little Gaylord". Izzy was one of the few people who he could actually relate to, him being as much as an outcast as he was. Yet, Izzy had the brains and Izzy had the ideas. His spotlight was then and there. Joe's been studying like there's no tomorrow as long as he could remember but try as he might to reach his level, he still neither knew or did enough.  
Then there was this thing about Mimi. He knew Izzy liked Mimi just as much as he did. If she had the choice, who would she pick? A hypochondriac worry wart or someone who actually did something and been somewhere. Joe poured a bubbly one.  
"Hey Izzy, how'd you get so big in such a short time?" Mimi asked, sipping on her glass.  
"I guess my training finally paid off, too bad nobody there noticed..."  
"Training?" Each one mummured in his/her own.  
"Yeah. I've been cross-country training over there for over a year now. Hmm, I did'nt think I changed that much." Izzy laid back a little. "So, how's life?"  
Tai, as usual, tried to answer the question. "Well, Sora and I have been going out for 9 months now..."  
"We've been going out for seven months, Tai..."  
"Oh... well, Kari and Davis have started dating..."  
"Eeew, I've been dating T.K., not Davis..."  
"Riiiight, so I suppose Matt's still single..."  
"Yes I am! Geez, can't you get your gossip straight."  
Joe could have sworn he saw Mimi look at Matt. Now there's a fun couple. Mimi and Matt. Everybody's been counting on that pair up. Something like a hollywood movie, a valiant hero and a perky princess-type heroine. Joe drank another one down.  
"Joe, how 'bout you?" Izzy asked. Everybody turned to Joe, who was caught between chugging down a glassful and swallowing the glass itself. He blushed in shame, putting the glass down. Everybody snickered. Joe was silent.  
"Oh Joe, don't be such a loner out there." Mimi replied, the she turned to the gang "Joe's been really busy thinking about his grades and all that stuff, are'nt you Joe?.  
Joe was'nt. He just nodded, even if he really wanted to disagree. Mimi's hazel eyes were smiling at him. For some reason, he did not see Izzy or Matt in her eyes. He only saw...himself.  
"C'mon here. It's not going to be much of a reunion if you keep on filling yourself in that corner". Mimi's words struck him down. They all waved him into their crowded little circle. Joe did not mind if it was hot and humid. All he knew was that Mimi was there beside him. No one else.  
A few hours later, Izzy's step parents have returned and said they'd stay in their friend's house down the street for a game of Mah Jong so that they won't be a bother to the reunion. They just left the food in the counter and the gang took whatever was for them and had been eating all night.  
Soon, Joe began feeling a strange tingle in his body. His face was red and he was sweating like butter on a hot tin roof. Everybody else was knocked out cold and lay sleeping on the floor. Only Mimi, who (surprisingly) was a light drinker, and Joe were left awake. Not the regular nerd Joe, though, but a Joe never before seen on TV... but what's going to happen will have to wait for Chapter Four...  
So, that's the end of C-3. The Jyoumi part is coming up, so don't get mad if I had to wait for 3 whole chapters to get this thing going. Hey, the night was still young when we last left the gang...and you know what stuff happens in night time. But don't worry, dear reader. This will be wholesome, promise...  
~*~  
Chapter Four- The Words Left Unspoken  
~*~  
When we last left off, only Joe and Mimi were awake after an all-night bender with the gang. Joe was upset about a lot of things, particularly being with Mimi and his jelousy with Izzy's achievements and Matt's looks. It seems like Joe's gonna need a lot more than alchohol to get out of this one...  
Izumi Residence. April 9. 1:02 AM  
"GROOOHOOORCKHHROOO *spit*...*pant*..." Joe barfed on the Izumi toilet. The sour taste in his mouth made the experience even worse. Mimi, which was still awake, ran to the fridge to get some water.  
"Joe...are you O.K.?"  
"Yeah, if you call throwing up your lunch from three years back O.K."  
Joe grabbed the water and drank it as he chugged the glasses down. He felt dizzy and inebriated. When he tried to stand up, he would fall and Mimi had to pull him out. She propped him sitting on the wall beside her, watching as the others were snoring like babies.  
"Joe, why the heck would you drink so much alchohol?"  
"Beats...me..."  
"Beat's me? You're the doctor here! You should know better than to do that to yourself?"  
"Oh, as if you care!"  
"I do..."  
"Why don't you just sleep with Matt and leave me alone..."  
Mimi was stunned. Sleep with Matt? What was Joe talking about? Was he still mad at Mimi for kissing Matt... four years ago?  
"Joe... what's bothering you?"  
"Yeah, now you start asking me questions..."  
"Why are you doing this to me?"  
"Oh so you're going to complain about me not noticing you? Well, maybe you should ask Izzy? He sure helped you when you had that problem with him..."  
"JOE! I demand you tell me what's going on at once!"  
"So now, you're demanding that I talk. O.K., I'll tell you... I've known you for years now, and *hic*... all that time, I thought I had a crush on you..."  
Mimi's face froze at Joe. His gray eyes stared at her's. There was something terribly wrong with him.  
"You heard me right... I had a crush on you. Why the heck would I *hic* stay with you when we broke up if I did'nt. Could've let you get eaten by...*hic* Dark Masters for all I f*ckin' care..."  
Mimi broke into tears. She could not believe those words were coming out of the same mouth which pledged to protect her forever. This could not be Joe. Her Joe.  
She looked at him again, although she tried to take her mind off all the mean thing's he's said.  
"But then...*hic*, I just...realized that...that was the stupidest piece of crap I've ever thought of. Y'know, If it was'nt for you, I would'nt be half as screwed up as I am now..."  
Mimi kept on listening. One time she wanted to slap him flat in the face, the next thing, she wanted to hug him with pity. Joe was murmuring and sweating all over.  
"Is this all about Matt? Huh, Joe? Is it Matt?"  
"No, Mimi...it's not only Matt. Hey, look at Izzy. He's gotten bigger too. I wonder if he'd be able to just smack the living daylights out of me and get amnesia, or something..."  
Joe startled to ramble off. Mimi was crying tenderly, holding on to Joe's shirt.  
"Don't tell me you're going all crazy like this because of jealousy! Joe...tell me!"  
"I've tried to be someone you'd like, Mimi. I've even got you those chocolates you liked so much...but were they enough? You still had Matt. You still have Izzy. Who was I?"  
"You are Joe Kido. You may not be the smartest or the coolest but..."  
"Oh, don't give me that sentimental bullsh*t. I'm not buying it Mimi. I'm tired of being final banana in this stupid team."  
"No you're not! Why'd you come here then? Why'd you take us here if you hated us all so much?"  
"Bah...who needs your questions. I'm not listening to anymore, ya hear. First thing tomorrow, I'm leaving..."  
"Could the only reason why your mad like this is because of...me?"  
"Who cares about you? I certainly don't. I said I don't need you in my life no more..."  
"Joe, you're so mean!"  
"Oh, I'm sorry your Highness, I don't mean to tell you that your just a straight-forward loud-mouth pain in the ass!"  
Mimi raised a hand and slapped Joe on the face with full power. His head flung out onto one side. For a few seconds Joe was out cold, lying on the carpet, eyes wide open, his mouth bubbling like a rabid dog.  
Mimi breathed heavily. Her hands red with the impact on Joe's face. Her hazel eyes staring at him. Was it hatred? Was it sorrow? Was it disappointment? Only she could tell now. Joe lies dizzy on the carpet...yet, he was still inebriated with the alchohol in his blood. Mimi could hear a faint laughing...cold and heartless...  
"Hmm... that sure got the old juices flowing..." Joe muttered as he tried to sit up. Mimi was breathing heavily. She was angry at Joe, very much so, although she could see it in his eyes that he was- deep down-being tormented by the feelings he had for her. He grinned in an almost oblivious manner. Not even human...  
Sweat trickled down Joe's body. She can feel it stick to his shirt and make pools in the floor. She could only watch, waiting for what the Joe in front of her would do next...  
"Y'know...Mimi...I really really liked you..."  
Mimi started to breathe normally again. Her eyes were tearful once more. The darkness hid Joe's features well. Too well for Mimi to see him.  
"Then what was it I did wrong, Joe? Tell me! What did I do wrong!?"  
"It was not you..." Joe hung his head low. "It was not your fault..."  
"Then, why are you doing this to yourself Joe!?"  
"You wanna know?"  
"Yes!"  
"You really wanna know!?"  
"YES!"  
"I'll tell you why..." Joe held his head up high..."Think Mimi. Think of how it feels to be the butt of everyone's jokes for years and not a single time have I done to deserve NOT to be done so. Think of being the Nerd, Mimi; The Geek, Mimi; the 'gee, let's not go there cuz I'm too scared' Grade-A Chicken, the clumsy oaf, Mimi."  
"No...that's..."  
"Oh, you would'nt understand. Your too busy being Little Miss Gorgeous with every guy slobbering at your feet..."  
"That's...just...not...true..."  
"Then what's true Mimi? I've sick and tired of being a failure. Tai gets to be the brave one. Matt gets to be the cool one. Izzy gets to be the smart one. And what about poor Joe Kido? Oh, he's the one cowering beneath everybody's pants, crying even louder than T.K.!!!"  
"Joe..."  
"I'm just the nobody, Mimi. I was never meant to be a Digidestined. I...I..."  
"Joe...how could you say all that? How about the time you defeated the Bakemon, or when you saved T.K.'s life twice...or..."  
"SHUTUP!!!" Joe hissed at Mimi, which lept back in fright. "Oh, I saved the brat's life...and who do you think becomes the hero four years after?"  
"You just could'nt be saying all that..."  
"Are you deaf or are you just stupid. If you can't get it through your thick skull then you might just as well forget I ever exsisted." Joe stood up. He reached up high and stood tall over the sleeping friends. It was almost morning.  
"Joe, where are you going..."  
"I'm going to finish this once and for all, Mimi and no ones going to stop me..."  
Mimi was puzzled, afraid, and anxious all at the same time. She did not know what to do or say because everything she has done only added up to Joe's anger.  
Joe walked past her and headed for the balcony. The Izumi appartment was several floors up and the balcony was a long way from the pavement below.  
Joe can feel his heart beat fast. The crisp dawn air shot across his face. The stars twinkled over head. He wondered how many there were up there. Surely Joe can't count them all. But he was just there...wondering.  
Mimi followed Joe outside. She just stood there, waiting for Joe's next move. He watched the tall figure look up into the endless sky...what he was looking for, she did'nt know. Joe's hair rustled like willow leaves. She could hear his breathing- strong and steady like the tapping of a drum...until...  
"It is time..."Joe leaned forward into the edge of the balcony. With a strong and sudden jump, he leap-frogged over the balcony ledge and...  
"Joe...don't!!!" Mimi rushed to grab Joe by the arms. Tears flowed steadily as she watched him fall (in super-slow-motion) into the pavement below.  
In a final move of action, Mimi reached for Joe to the edge of the ledge and...  
"EEEEEEEEEKKKK"  
Mimi fell...as well.  
Joe saw her fall fast. He was still conscious in free fall. She was out cold. He had to think fast before hitting the street to die in an instant. He knew he had to save her. Only a few seconds...  
"BAMMM!!!" the sound echoed through the street below. Ony one sound. One Bam. Not followed by another. Just one.  
End of Chapter Four. Great Cliffhanger, eh? I love these. Oh well, I might as well end it all some time. Atleast now you know why this is a Jyoumi. Too bad, Joe's pretty drunk. Oh well, we'll always have Chapter Five...  
~*~  
Chapter Five- When good things end...  
~*~  
Oooh, nice Title. It kinda gives you the idea that this is the final chapter of the fan fic series. Well, it is. It's a bit tragic, though, so if you have any strong feelings for either Joe or Mimi, you might as well just end the reading here, or go back to the C-1 and pretend you've read nothing. Anyway, this is the final chapter of "The Path which leads Home- A Jyoumi Fanfic".  
Odaiba General Hospital. April 9. 8:20 PM  
"Uhhh..."  
Mimi could feel that they had fell, although she did not feel as much pain as she thought she would. Almost no pain at all. She had closed her eyes and could not open them for a while. What had happened? Where was Joe? She could not move...  
"Joe?..."  
No one answers...  
"Joe?..."  
Still silence...  
Mimi started to nudge. She tried to sit up, but it seemed that her back has been twisted in some way. It hurt so bad.  
She tried to open her eyes, seeing faint lights over-head at first. She did not know where she was. The hard concrete street she expected to land on was not there, but was replaced by a cushioned bed.  
"Where am I?"  
"Mimi? Can you hear us?" A familiar voice lofted through the abyss.  
"S...Sora? Is that...you?"  
"Mimi...yes it's me...Sora. Are you...O.K.?"  
"Uhh...I have this weird feeling in my back..." Mimi tries to sit up again. She is pinned back down by Sora.  
"Don't try to sit up. The doctor says you've got a pretty bad bruise in the back."  
"Where's...Joe?"  
Sora was silent...  
"Sora! Where is He!"  
"Mimi..."  
"TELL ME!!!"  
"Joe...was found with you this morning. His skull was badly fractured..."  
"Don't tell me he's..."  
"He's...Dead..." Sora began to burst into tears..."We found him on the street this morning, his arms protecting your head from hitting the ground. If it was'nt for him..."  
"I would be..."  
"Dead too..."  
Mimi was shocked. Her fragile little heart seemed to have been shredded into a million little pieces. Mimi could only vaguely remember how she felt, a few moments before hitting the ground, Joe's warm body embracing hers. Keeping her safe. Saving her life. So that was how she survived the fall. Joe served to cushion her fall, crushing his skull in the process.  
"Where are the others?"  
"They're speaking with the doctors, pleading to have them revive Joe in any way possible. The doctors... they could'nt do anything..."  
"Sora...It's all my fault! I should've stopped him. I had the chance..."  
"No...you did'nt. What happened...was all our fault..."  
"I KILLED JOE!"  
"No, Mimi...we all did...We knew what happened...your conversation. T.K. was in the bathroom when you were talking...and..."  
Mimi grabbed Sora's hand. She cried herself back to sleep and could'nt eat for the rest of the day. Sora stayed with Mimi until she could sit up again.  
A few minutes after Mimi fell asleep, Kari entered the room.  
"Sora, how's Mimi."  
"She's doing O.K. She's asleep now."  
"Oh."  
"Hey, were's your brother?"  
"He's with the other boys. They're trying their best to revive Joe."  
"Any luck?"  
"Not really. Joe's in pretty bad shape. He's lost too much blood."  
Sora breathes heavily. "So, what do we do now?"  
"I don't know. We've always thought he was the first to, y'know, pass away. But when it actually happens..."  
"I know...We've been pretty hard on the boy."  
"Well, it's too late to do anything now..."  
Mimi, sleeping on the bed, could only dream of her lost friend. Never again would he see him grin like a complete idiot. No more would he fuss about his allergies or phobias. But most especially, no more would she have someone...someone who would be there for her, someone who would make her happy, someone who would do anything for her, someone who would gladly risk his life for her...for he already has done so. No more Joe. No more.  
End of Chapter Five. *Sob*...I'm sorry. I never intended to kill Joe in the end of this story. It just sorta happened, okay. Well, even if this is the last chapter, there is one thing left: Joe's Funeral! One last word before I mark this one a "The End" sign.  
~*~  
Epilogue  
~*~  
So Joe's dead. He fell off Izzy's apartment after recalling all the stuff that's been done to him in an all night drink with the gang. Sure he was drunk, but he still had the heart to save Mimi from joining him in Digi Heaven. While Mimi survived the fall, Joe's skull was crushed and he died very soon after. This last bit is for the wake which followed a few days after.  
Kido Residence. April 12. 2:15 PM.  
The Kido house was litterally exploding with relatives, former teachers, and colleages from all over. Of course, the gang was there to pay their respects to their oldest member. Mimi was wearing black all over, and did'nt feel much like giggling like she usually did. She looked briefly at Joe's casket, which looked so serene. So at peace. So relaxed. She mourned by the glass case. She felt like scratching it open and embrace the body as he did when he saved her life.  
She could'nt.  
She just could'nt.  
"There goes a good friend, Tai." Izzy said, still typing on his laptop, this time for a Eulogy to be recited later.  
"I could'nt believe he'd just die like that...I..."  
"Don't think about it...I know how guilty you are about his death. We all are responsible..."  
"You never appreciate a guy until he's actually gone, do you?"  
"I guess..."  
Matt was with T.K. on a dim corner of the room. Sora and Kari were helping Joe's parents with serving the guests. Even Davis, Yolei, Ken and Cody (especially Cody) were there to pay their respects. But Mimi was crying by Joe's coffin. She has accepted that it was her fault all these things happened.  
"Izzy, when are you coming back to MIT?" Tai asked, trying to change the topic.  
"Next week, I guess. Actually, I was planning to ask Joe if he wanted to come along. MIT wants another Digidestined to help work on Digiporting's effects on human anatomy. I was sure Joe would love that..."  
"You had to wait to say that now, didn't you?..."  
Matt approached Mimi as she sobbed by the casket.  
"Mimi, crying won't get our Joe back..."  
"I know..." Matt pats Mimi in the back.  
"Matt, why do some people have to be so good...so good, and...and...die just like that...We did'nt even...get a chance...to say..."  
"I don't know...maybe that's just how it works..."  
"Joe...I...I'm sorry..."  
Matt tried to pull Mimi from the casket, but she just won't pull away. She just wanted to stay there until he showed any remote sign of life. But he would'nt. He's dead.  
Then, all of a sudden...  
"Hey, what's this?" Izzy asked while tapping on his laptop.  
"Hey, Izzy, what are you looking at?"  
"Prodigious! It's an E-mail..."  
"Who's it from?"  
"It's from...JOE!?"  
The entire household froze in terror and confusion. Ooh, freaky...  
"What's it say? What's it say?"  
"Uh...it says..." Izzy reads on... "I'm alright. Do no mourn or sob or cry. I rest now, where my heart belongs. Not in the heat of the sun or the lights of the city streets, but in the world which you all know so well and I love so much. Do not fear, all is well... -Sincerely, Kido Jyou."  
Could it be that Joe has found a way to get into the digital world as a spirit? Or could this e-mail be some sort of twisted joke? I guess, we'll never know for sure...until of course...another fan fic comes along. To be continued? I don't think so. The End? Probably not. Oh, what the heck.  
To Be Continued... (HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!)  
"It is time..."  
- Joe Kido, Digidestined, last words.  
Coming Soon, The Path Which Leads Home, Part II.  
The Gang finds themselves swimming for their lives in an unatural imbalance of power caused by an old friend.  
Can the discover the reason before all of them is plucked out?  
Can they?  
Can they?  
I don't know (yet), but all these and more in the "Weakest Link-ish" next installment of the TPWLH Trilogy (if, that is, the next Part does'nt explain all of this. In other words, this is gonna be a very long fanfic. 


End file.
